A car service from Fort Lauderdale to Miami turns a 30-mile interstate drive into a day you can actually enjoy. From the hotels on Fort Lauderdale Beach it is about 28 mi (44 km) to Wynwood, 30 mi (48 km) to Brickell and 32 mi (52 km) to Miami Beach, roughly 45 to 50 minutes each with clear roads and a good deal longer at rush hour. With Elly8.net, a chauffeur for the full 8-hour day from Fort Lauderdale, listed with the other Fort Lauderdale prices, costs US$700 in a Business Sedan, US$885 in a Business SUV and US$1,400 in an Executive Sprinter, fixed and all-in.
Not everyone needs that. Brightline runs fast trains between Fort Lauderdale and Miami, Tri-Rail is a cheap commuter option, and a rental car is fine if you enjoy driving and can live with Miami Beach parking. This guide compares them fairly, then sets out a chauffeured day that makes the most of the trip south.
What is the best way to get from Fort Lauderdale to Miami?
For one or two people going downtown and back in daylight, Brightline is quick and simple. For a day with several stops, a family, shopping bags or a late dinner on Miami Beach, a chauffeured car is easier and often cheaper than it looks per person. A rental car suits confident drivers with a single destination and a parking plan.
The deciding questions are how many places you want to see, how many people are traveling and what time you are coming back. A train is excellent between two stations; Miami's best neighbourhoods, from Wynwood to Coconut Grove, are spread out and not all near one.
The drive: distances and times by neighbourhood
The road route is I-95 for most of the way, with a final stretch across the causeways if you are heading for Miami Beach. These are the clear-road figures from Fort Lauderdale Beach:
| From Fort Lauderdale Beach to | Distance | Clear-road drive | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wynwood and the Design District | about 28 mi (44 km) | about 45 min | Street parking scarce near the murals |
| Brickell and Downtown | about 30 mi (48 km) | about 47 min | Towers, restaurants, Bayfront Park |
| Miami Beach | about 32 mi (52 km) | about 52 min | Causeway traffic on weekend nights |
Those clear-road times are rarely what you get between about 7 and 10 a.m. southbound or in the late afternoon northbound, when I-95 through Broward and north Miami-Dade slows badly. Leave Fort Lauderdale after the morning rush, around 9:30 a.m., and the trip is close to the clear-road time; leave at 8 a.m. and it can take far longer.
Option 1: Brightline
Brightline's trains run between Miami and Orlando with stops including Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton and West Palm Beach, according to Brightline. For a Fort Lauderdale visitor heading to Downtown Miami, the train to MiamiCentral is quick and avoids I-95 entirely. Fares change by date, time and class, so check them when you plan.
Good for: one or two people with a single Downtown destination, daytime travel, and anyone who prefers not to sit in traffic.
Less good for: a day that includes Wynwood, the Design District and South Beach, which means app rides or taxis from MiamiCentral to each stop, and a family carrying shopping bags back to the station in the evening.
Option 2: Tri-Rail and the shuttles
Tri-Rail serves Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, and Broward County's ground transportation page notes free shuttle buses between FLL and the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport station at Dania Beach. At the Miami end, Tri-Rail connects at the Miami International Airport station, where Metrorail and the airport's bus links meet, as described on MIA's public transportation page.
Good for: budget travelers, commuters and anyone heading to the airport area. Less good for: a sightseeing day, because you reach Miami's neighbourhoods only after further changes.
Shared airport shuttles exist too, but they are built for airport trips rather than a day out. Our chauffeur vs shared airport shuttle guide explains where they make sense.
Option 3: an app ride
A one-way app ride south is easy to request from most Fort Lauderdale hotels, and for two people it can be good value at quiet times. The catch is the return. Prices are set by demand at the moment you book, and a Saturday night on Miami Beach after a concert or a big dinner is exactly when demand is highest. Waiting for a car outside a busy South Beach restaurant, with a 30-mile ride ahead, is the part of the day most people would rather skip. Our chauffeur vs Uber and Lyft guide sets out the trade-offs.
Option 4: driving yourself
A rental car gives you freedom, and for a confident driver with one destination it works. Budget for the parking. On Miami Beach, on-street meters in South Beach cost US$4.00 an hour and are enforced from 9 a.m. to 3 a.m., and in the Entertainment District around Ocean Drive and Washington Avenue enforcement runs 24 hours a day, according to the city's parking meter rates. City garages cap the day at US$20. Wynwood's streets fill quickly, and every stop means finding a space again.
There is also the drive home. After a long lunch, a gallery afternoon and dinner, someone in the group has to stay alert for 30 miles of interstate at night. Our chauffeur vs renting a car comparison covers the full cost picture.
Option 5: a chauffeured day
A pre-booked car keeps the whole day in one vehicle: the chauffeur collects you at your Fort Lauderdale hotel, drives you between Miami neighbourhoods, waits while you are inside, holds the shopping bags and brings you back at night. Rides are operated by licensed, commercially insured local chauffeur partners vetted through the Limousine Worldwide network; Elly8.net takes the booking, fixes the price and runs the 24/7 desk.
| Booking from Fort Lauderdale | Business Sedan | Business SUV | Executive Sprinter |
|---|---|---|---|
| By the hour, 3-hour minimum | US$95 an hour | US$120 an hour | US$190 an hour |
| Evening out, 5 hours | US$475 | US$600 | US$950 |
| Full-day chauffeur, 8 hours | US$700 | US$885 | US$1,400 |
| One-way transfer to Miami | Web booker quote | Web booker quote | Web booker quote |
Prices are per vehicle and include the chauffeur, vehicle, taxes and standard gratuity; tolls, parking and waiting beyond the booked time are billed at cost. For four people in a Business SUV, the full day works out to about US$221 each with no parking, no rental and no designated driver. For a one-way move between hotels, for example from a Fort Lauderdale beach resort to a Brickell hotel, the web booker prices the exact addresses. Our city to city car service page explains longer one-way trips.
A chauffeured day in Miami from Fort Lauderdale
This plan fits comfortably inside the 8-hour full-day package and avoids the worst of I-95. Adjust it to your interests; the chauffeur follows your timetable, not a fixed route.
9:30 a.m. Leave Fort Lauderdale. After the morning rush, the drive south to Wynwood is close to the clear-road 45 minutes.
10:15 a.m. Wynwood. Start at the Wynwood Walls, where tickets are sold for admission, then walk the surrounding blocks of murals and galleries. The chauffeur waits at an agreed corner rather than circling for parking.
12:30 p.m. Lunch in the Design District. A few minutes north, with boutiques and restaurants. Shopping bags go into the car between stops.
2:00 p.m. Vizcaya or Coconut Grove. Vizcaya Museum and Gardens sits on Biscayne Bay south of Brickell; buy tickets ahead and check the day's closing time, which is in the afternoon. Or spend the afternoon among Coconut Grove's cafes and waterfront parks.
4:00 p.m. Miami Beach. Cross the causeway for the Art Deco blocks and the beach before the evening valet rush on Collins Avenue and Ocean Drive.
5:30 p.m. Head north, or stay for dinner. Leaving now gets you back to Fort Lauderdale just inside the 8 hours, though the northbound evening rush can slow the drive. To stay for dinner on Miami Beach, add hours at US$95 each in a Business Sedan, or book the 5-hour evening package as a separate block. The chauffeur waits, and the drive home is on a fixed price.
Prefer the water to the city? The Fort Lauderdale signature trip runs the other way, north to Palm Beach and Worth Avenue in 6 hours from US$525. And if Miami is your base rather than Fort Lauderdale, the Miami car service page has a full-day chauffeur from US$740 and the 10-hour Florida Keys trip to Islamorada from US$920.
Arriving at FLL and going straight to Miami
Many visitors make the trip only once, from the airport. If you land at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International (FLL) and are staying in Miami, the fixed price from FLL to Miami Beach is US$255 in a Business Sedan, US$335 in a Business SUV and US$665 in an Executive Sprinter, about 27 mi (43 km) and 41 minutes on a clear road. The chauffeur tracks the flight and waits inside arrivals. If you are heading to a cruise instead, our guide to FLL to Miami cruise port transfers covers terminals and timing, and groups of seven or more should read our Miami Sprinter van rental guide.
How to book
- Enter your Fort Lauderdale hotel as the pickup, choose hourly or the full-day package, and list your Miami stops in order.
- Choose the vehicle: a Business Sedan for up to 3 passengers, a Business SUV for up to 6 with bags, or an Executive Sprinter for up to 12.
- Reserve and pay by card; the confirmation arrives by email. Cancellation is free more than 72 hours before pickup, 10 percent at 72 hours or less, 50 percent at 48 hours or less, and 100 percent at 24 hours or less or for a no-show, refunded to the original card.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Fort Lauderdale to Miami?
From Fort Lauderdale Beach it is about 28 to 32 miles (44 to 52 km) depending on whether you are heading for Wynwood, Brickell or Miami Beach, roughly 45 to 52 minutes with clear roads. Weekday rush hours on I-95 can add a great deal, so leave after about 9:30 a.m. southbound when you can.
How much is a car service from Fort Lauderdale to Miami?
A one-way transfer between any two addresses is quoted in the web booker and fixed before you pay. For a day out, the Fort Lauderdale full-day chauffeur package is US$700 in a Business Sedan and US$885 in a Business SUV for 8 hours, all-in, with tolls and parking billed at cost.
Is Brightline faster than driving to Miami?
Between Fort Lauderdale and Downtown Miami, the train avoids I-95 traffic and is a good choice for one or two people going station to station in daylight. For a day with several stops across Wynwood, Coconut Grove and Miami Beach, a chauffeured car saves the onward rides from the station.
Is it worth renting a car to drive from Fort Lauderdale to Miami?
It can be, for a single destination and a confident driver. Budget for parking: on-street meters in South Beach cost US$4.00 an hour and city garages up to US$20 a day. With several stops, a group, or a late dinner, a chauffeur removes the parking and the night drive home.
Can the chauffeur wait while we have dinner in Miami?
Yes. On an hourly or full-day booking the chauffeur waits nearby while you are inside and brings the car to the door when you are ready. If the evening runs past your booked hours, extra time is billed at the hourly rate, or you can book the 5-hour evening package as a separate block.
Can we book a Sprinter for a group day trip to Miami?
Yes. An Executive Sprinter from Fort Lauderdale is US$190 an hour with a 3-hour minimum or US$1,400 for the full 8-hour day, for up to 12 passengers. It is often the simplest way for a wedding party, a family reunion or a team outing to see Miami together.
